Device for thermically treating granular and/or lumpy materials

ABSTRACT

A device for treating granular and/or lumpy materials by passing a gaseous medium therethrough characterized by a chamber having at least one material discharge opening at a lower end and a material supply device having at least one member having a circular cross section coacting with a flanged opening of the chamber to form a pair of coaxially extending supply channels with the innermost channel being provided with a hood having a plurality of discharge pipes connected to a separate gas discharge and the outer channel being connected to a separate gas discharge conduit. Preferably, the outer channel is provided with an annular hood which is in communication with the other discharge channel by a plurality of discharge pipes. Either one of the two hoods may be provided with an adjustable member to enable varying the heighth of the hood. The material supply device preferably has a single inlet or feed pipe which is coaxially aligned with an opening in the first member which opening is provided with a conicalshaped closure member to regulate the introduction of material into the inner supply channel.

United States Patent [191 Thomas et al.

[ June 17, 1975 DEVICE FOR THERMICALLY TREATING GRANULAR AND/OR LUMPY MATERIALS [73] Assignee: Kliickner-I-lumboldt-Deutz AG,

Germany [22] Filed: Mar. 20, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 453,058

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 5, 1973 Germany 2317056 [52] US. Cl. 34/167; 214/37; 432/96; 432/97; 34/168; 34/174 [51] Int. Cl. F261) 17/14 [58] Field of Search 432/95, 96, 97, 99, 100,

3,284,072 11/1966 Kramer 34/167 3,706,387 12/l972 Tokarz 214/37 Primary Examiner-John J. Camby Assistant Examiner-Henry C. Yuen Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hill, Gross, Simpson, Van Santen, Steadman, Chiara & Simpson [57] 1 ABSTRACT A device for treating granular and/or lumpy materials by passing a gaseous medium therethrough characterized by a chamber having at least one material discharge opening at a lower end and a material supply device having at least one member having a circular cross section coacting with a flanged opening of the chamber to form a pair of coaxially extending supply channels with the innermost channel being provided with a hood having a plurality of discharge pipes connected to a separate gas discharge and the outer channel being connected to a separate gas discharge conduit. Preferably, the outer channel is provided with an annular hood which is in communication with the other discharge channel by a plurality of discharge pipes. Either one of the two hoods may be provided with an adjustable member to enable varying the heighth of the hood. The material supply device preferably has a single inlet or feed pipe which is coaxially aligned with an opening in the first member which opening is provided with a conicalshaped closure member to regulate the introduction of material into the inner supply channel.

10 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure PATENTEDJUN 1 7 I975 1 DEVICE FOR THERMICALLY TREATING GRANULAR AND/OR LUMPY MATERIALS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention is directed to a device for the thermic treatment of granular and/or lumpy materials particularly calcite, limestone, dolomite or magnesite by means of either a hot or cold gaseous medium which enters a chamber and passes through the material being added to the chamber.

In French Pat. No. 1,344,599, a chutepreheater for granular and lumpy materials is disclosed. In this device, material is guided downwardly into a chute consisting of two chambers and is preheated by hot furnace exhaust gases which are flowing in the opposite direction. In order to prevent an edge passage of the hot gases in the chute, a central gas conduit is arranged in the chute which conduit is provided with outlet openings in the area of the chamber; however, the structure of this device does not enable a uniform guidance of the individual gas currents through the material and thus does not enable a uniform thermic treatment of the materials passing through the device.

In Heinrich Buchners US. Pat. Application Ser. No.

403,761, filed Oct. 17, 1973 and now US. Pat. No.

3,850,145 (based on German Pat. Application No. P 22 50 830.1 a device which enables a simple, economical and uniform thermic treatment of materials was disclosed. In this device, a material charging means for a chamber is divided into at least two material supply channels with each supply channel being attached to a separate gas discharge conduit. The provision of the two material supply channels enables separately charging of at least two different classes or sizes of granular and/or lumpy materials. Since each of the material supply channels is provided with separate gas discharge conduits, the flow of the gaseous medium through the material in each of the channels can be controlled to obtain a sufficient quantity of gas acting on the material in each channel and thereby obtain an optimum distribution of the quantities of gas for the individual classes of grain size of the material in the chamber. The provision of at least two separately arranged material supply channels also enable a uniform distribution of the material being charged into the chamber without requiring special distributing devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to an apparatus having at least two coaxial or concentric supply channels each of which is connected to a separate gas discharge conduit and which device has an improved feed of the material being treated into the material supply channels and improved gas conduction Within the various material supply channels. To accomplish this, the innermost channel is provided with means in the form of a hood or dome for collecting gas which insures an advantageous circumferential distribution of the charging material, a uniform contact of the material by the gases and thus a more intensified contact between the gases and the material located in the innermost chamber.

To accomplish these tasks, the device of the present invention comprises a chamber having an upper end with a flanged opening and a lower end with at least one discharge opening, said chamber having at least one wall extending between said ends with at least one opening in the wall for admitting a gaseous medium into the chamber, means mounted on the upper end of the chamber and aligned with the flanged opening for supplying material to the chamber and for removing gaseous medium therefrom, said means for supplying material including at least two exhaust discharge conduits disposed in the upper portion thereof, first means for coacting with the flanged opening to provide at least two coaxially extending material supply collection which project into the chamber to different depths, a collecting hood disposed in the innermost coaxially extending supply channel, said hood being provided with a plurality of gas exhaust pipes communicating with one of the separate gas discharge conduits, and second means connecting the remaining supply channels to the other of the gas discharge conduits.

In order to obtain the uniform distribution of the charging material in the outer material supply channel and thus a uniform contact between the gases and the material in the outer channel, the outer supply channel is preferably provided with an annular gas collection hood or dome which is connected through a plurality of exhaust pipes to the other of the separate gas discharge conduits.

In order to adjust for gas pressure resistance and the lamination of the material in either of the channels, a lower wall portion of either one of the gas collection hoods may be provided with an adjustable member so the height or length of the hood can be varied or adjusted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The FIGURE is a cross-sectional view of a device according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The principles of the present invention are particularly useful in a device for thermically treating granular and/or lumpy materials. An illustrative embodiment of the device incorporating the principles of the invention is a preheating device having a vertically arranged chamber 1. An upper end or surface of the chamber 1 is provided with an inwardly extending depression or flange 21 which terminates in a flanged opening 22 having an outwardly extending flange. The lower portion of the chamber 1 converges to a plurality of discharge openings 23 which may be provided with appropriate means for controlling discharge of material from the chamber 1. The wall 1' of the chamber 1 adjacent to the upper surface is provided with at least one opening such as an opening 2 which is connected to a gas conduit for introducing a hot gaseous medium (indicated by arrows 2) to the interior of the chamber.

A supply chute or device 3, which acts as means for supplying material to the chamber and for removing the gaseous medium therefrom, is mounted on the upper surface of the chamber 1 and aligned with the flanged opening 22. The device 3 includes a first member 24 which acts as means for coacting with the flanged opening 22 to form a pair of material supply channels 4 and 5, which are coaxial to one another. The outermost channel 4 is concentric with the innermost channel 5. The member 24 as illustrated has a circular cross section and is composed of three truncated cone portions with the uppermost end portion converging to an opening 13' which receives a conical-shaped closure member 13. The device 3 includes a conicallyshaped second member 25 which isv concentrically spaced from the upper end portion of the member 24. The member 25 coacts with a partition 26 to provide a pair of separate annular chambers which are in communication with separate gas discharge conduits 6 and 7, respectively.

In the inner material supply channel 5, a gas collection hood or dome 8 is concentrically arranged. The hood or dome 8 has upper conical part and a lower cylindrical part or portion. The conical part has a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures which are in communication with a corresponding number of circumferentially spaced first gas discharge pipes 9 which extend through circumferentially spaced openings in the upper conical portion of member 24 and through openings in the conical member 25 to communicate with the annular chamber of the gas discharge conduit 7.

The member 24 is preferably provided with an annular extension to form an annular-shaped collection hood 10 for the outer or annular supply channel 4. The annular hood 10, which has a cylindrical portion or skirt, has a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings which are in communication with a plurality of second gas discharge pipes 11 which extend through apertures in the member 25 to communicate the annular hood 10 with the annular chamber of the discharge conduit 6. It should be noted that the pipes 9 are connected such as by welded joints to the hood 8 and members 24 and 25 and the pipes 11 are connected such as by welded joints to the hood 10 and member 25 so that the pipes 9 and 11 support the hoods 10 and the member 24 in the coaxial position within the device 3 and pipes 9 also support the hood 8 coaxially within the supply channel 5.

As illustrated, the hood 8 is provided with a cylindrical member or ring 12 which is adjustably received in the cylindrical portion of the hood. By axially positioning the ring 12 in the cylindrical portion, the height or length of the cylindrical portion can be varied to control the position of the layer of material in response to gas pressure resistance and the lamination of material in the channels to obtain the desired uniform gas contact. The hood 10 also has a cylindrical portion or skirt which can be provided with an adjustable ring or cylindrical member similar to 12 to enable varying the height or length of the hood.

As mentioned hereinabove, the device 3 has a material supply or feed pipe 18 which is preferably axially aligned with the opening 13 of the member 24. A pair of conveyor belts l4 and 15 each extending to respective hoppersor bunkers 16 and 17 are positioned above the pipe 18. In operation of the device according to the present invention as illustrated in the drawing, the conical closure member 13 is moved to a lower position to open the opening 13'. The conveyor belt 14 which refall in the space between the member 25 and the upper conical portion of the member 24. Thus, as described, the outer supply channel 4 is full of fine material while the inner channel 5 is full of coarse material.

With both channels 4 and 5 filled, an area of each channel such as directly beneath the hood 8 in channel 5 and directly beneath hood 10 in channel 4 is free of the material. Due to the coaction between the flanged opening 22 and member 24, an annular portion or chamber 27 in the chamber 1 is free of material. The portion 27 is in communication with the opening 2 and communicates the gaseous medium around the chamber l to enter the pile and pass through the material in the material supply channels 4 and 5 as indicated by the arrows 6 and 7' to reach the respective hoods 10 and 8. Since the discharge conduit 7 has a throttle valve or plate 19 and the conduit 6 has a throttle plate or valve 20, the rate of flow in each channel 4 and 5 can be regulated to insure the desired contact of the gaseous medium and the material being treated.

As the material in each channel is treated by the flow of gases, it gradually moves downward in each channel toward the discharge opening 23 and is gradually removed therethrough by conventional means (not illustrated) for subsequent treatment such as in a rotary kiln. By controlling the rate of removal of treated material and the rate of addition of fresh material to each of the channels 4 and 5, the amount of material in each channel can be controlled. One method of controlling the amount of material in each of the channels 4 and 5 is to incorporate means for measuring the amount of material in each channel. The output of the measuring means may be used to control the operation of each of the belts l4 and 15 and the discharge from their respective hoppers 16 and 17 along with the reciprocation of the closure member 13 and thus control the addition of fresh material to each channel. For example, when the level or amount of material in channel 5 drops below a given value, the member 13 is shifted to an open position and the belt 14 is operated to introduce material from hopper 16 through the pipe 18 and opening 13' into the channel 5. When additional fresh material is required in the outer channel 4, the member 13 is moved to close opening 13' and belt 15 is operated to transfer material from hopper 17 to feed pipe 18 to fill the outer chamber 4.

To provide a hot gaseous medium for treating the material, the conduit connected to the opening 2 may be directly connected to a furnace to provide hot furnace exhaust gases in the annular chamber 27. However, instead of a conduit from a furnace, the hot gases may be produced by placing burners in openings provided on an upper wall portion of the chamber 1 so that combustion occurs in the space of annular chamber 27. The gases introduced into the chamber 27 penetrate the inclined material and flow through the channel as illustrated by the arrows.

Since the outer channel 4 was fed fine material and the inner channel 5 was fed coarse material, the incline surface of the pile adjacent the annular chamber 27 5 contains mainly fine material with the coarse material being concentrated within the member 24. A portion of the gaseous medium will flow in fine materials in the channel 4 to the hood l0 and the remaining portion flows through the outer layer of fine material into the coarse material of channel 5 and to the hood 8. Due to the arrangement of the gas collection hoods or domes 8 and 10 in the respective channels 4 and 5 in accordance with the present invention, a uniform distribution of material in the channels is obtained and thus the thermic treatment of the granular or lumpy material is intensified. In addition, by adjusting the position of the cylindrical ring 12 of the hood 8 to change the heighth of the cylindrical portion of the gas collection hood 8, the influence of the hood 8 on both the flow of gases and the distribution of material in the inner channel 5 can be varied. If the hood 10 is provided with an adjustable member or ring 12, the influence of the hood 10 on both the distribution of material and the flow of gases in channel 4 may also be varied in a similar manner. By adjusting the position of each of the throttle valves or members 19 and 20, the distribution of the gases in each channel can be optimumly adjusted in consideration of the pressure resistance of the materials located in the two channels.

The device shown in the drawing may however also be utilized as an independent furnace for the burning or roasting of granular and lumpy materials. For this purpose the above-mentioned burners (not shown) are arranged in the wall of the chamber 1 with the burner discharging into annular chamber 27.

While thediscussion of an introduction of the material to the two channels 4 and 5 was described with regard to coarse and fine material, it is within the scope of the present invention to fill the channel 5 with granular material and the outer channel 4 with lumpy material.

The description of the operation of the device was given for the device being utilized for preheating materials. It is within the scope of the invention to use the present device as a cooler for bulk material. In such a utilization, the conduit connected to the opening 2 is connected to a source of cooling air which will circulate through the various materials in the channels 4 and 5 to cool these materials.

Although various minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be under stood that we wish to employ within the scope of the patent granted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our contribution to the art.

We claim:

1. A device for thermically treating a granular and lumpy material such as calcite, limestone, dolomite and magnesite by passing a gaseous medium therethrough, said device comprising in combination a chamber having an upper end with a flanged opening and a lower end with at least one discharge opening, said chamber having at least one wall extending between said ends with at least one opening in the wall for admitting a gaseous medium into the chamber; and means mounted on the upper end of the chamber and aligned with the flanged opening for supplying material to the chamber and for removing the gaseous medium therefrom, said means for supplying material including at least two separate gas discharge conduits disposed in an upper portion thereof, first means for coacting with the flanged opening of the chamber to provide at least two coaxially extending material supply channels which project into the chamber to different depths, and a collection hood disposed in the innermost coaxially extending supply channel, said hood being provided with a plurality of first gas exhaust pipes communicating with one of the separate gas discharge conduits, said means for supplying having second means for separately connecting the remaining supply channels to the other of the separate gas discharge conduits.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein a lower wall portion of the collection hood is provided with an adjustable member so that the height of the hood is adjustable.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said means for supplying material further includes an annularshaped collection hood disposed in the outer material supply channel, and wherein the second means includes a plurality of second gas exhaust pipes communicating the annular hood to the other separate gas discharge conduit.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein a lower wall portion of one of the collection hoods is provided with an adjustable member so that the height of the hood is adjustable.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the means for supplying includes a single feed pipe in communication with each of the supply channels and wherein the innermost supply channel is supplied with a conical closure means for regulating flow of material thereto.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the first means comprises a first member having a circular cross section, said first member converges at an upper end to a coaxial opening and forms an inner supply channel and a concentric outer supply channel, wherein the supply means has two separate gas discharge conduits, a single feed pipe coaxially disposed above said coaxial opening, and a conically-shaped second member coaxially disposed to said feed pipe and concentrically spaced from the upper end of said first member, said second member coacting with a partition to provide an annular chamber for each of the two separate gas discharge conduits, said plurality of first pipes extending through said first and second members to communicate with the annular chamber of said one separate gas discharge conduit and wherein the second means communicates the outer channel with the annular chamber of the other of the two separate gas discharge conduits.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the means for supplying includes a conical closure means disposed in the coaxial opening of the first member to regulate flow of material from the feed pipe therethrough.

8. A device according to claim 6, wherein the first member has an annular hood disposed on a surface thereof extending outward into the outer supply channel and wherein said second means comprises a plurality of second gas exhaust pipes communicating the annular hood to the annular chamber of said other of said two separate gas discharge conduits.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said hoods is provided with an adjustable member so that the height of the hood is adjustable.

10. A device according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of gas discharge pipes communicating each of the respective hoods with an annular chamber are circumferentially spaced about each of their respective hoods and circumferentially spaced in the space disposed between the first and second members. 

1. A device for thermically treating a granular and lumpy material such as calcite, limestone, dolomite and magnesite by passing a gaseous medium therethrough, said device comprising in combination a chamber having an upper end with a flanged opening and a lower end with at least one discharge opening, said chamber having at least one wall extending between said ends with at least one opening in the wall for admitting a gaseous medium into the chamber; and means mounted on the upper end of the chamber and aligned with the flanged opening for supplying material to the chamber and for removing the gaseous medium therefrom, said means for supplying material including at least two separate gas discharge conduits disposed in an upper portion thereof, first means for coacting with the flanged opening of the chamber to provide at least two coaxially extending material supply channels which project into the chamber to different depths, and a collection hood disposed in the innermost coaxially extending supply channel, said hood being provided with a plurality of first gas exhaust pipes communicating with one of the separate gas discharge conduits, said means for supplying having second means for separately connecting the remaining supply channels to the other of the separate gas discharge conduits.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein a lower wall portion of the collection hood is provided with an adjustable member so that the height of the hood is adjustable.
 3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said means for supplying material further includes an annular-shaped collection hood disposed in the outer material supply channel, and wherein the second means includes a plurality of second gas exhaust pipes communicating the annular hood to the other separate gas discharge conduit.
 4. A device according to claim 3, wherein a lower wall portion of one of the collection hoods is provided with an adjustable member so that the height of the hood is adjustable.
 5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the means for supplying includes a single feed pipe in communication with each of the supply channels and wherein the innermost supply channel is supplied with a conical closure means for regUlating flow of material thereto.
 6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the first means comprises a first member having a circular cross section, said first member converges at an upper end to a coaxial opening and forms an inner supply channel and a concentric outer supply channel, wherein the supply means has two separate gas discharge conduits, a single feed pipe coaxially disposed above said coaxial opening, and a conically-shaped second member coaxially disposed to said feed pipe and concentrically spaced from the upper end of said first member, said second member coacting with a partition to provide an annular chamber for each of the two separate gas discharge conduits, said plurality of first pipes extending through said first and second members to communicate with the annular chamber of said one separate gas discharge conduit and wherein the second means communicates the outer channel with the annular chamber of the other of the two separate gas discharge conduits.
 7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the means for supplying includes a conical closure means disposed in the coaxial opening of the first member to regulate flow of material from the feed pipe therethrough.
 8. A device according to claim 6, wherein the first member has an annular hood disposed on a surface thereof extending outward into the outer supply channel and wherein said second means comprises a plurality of second gas exhaust pipes communicating the annular hood to the annular chamber of said other of said two separate gas discharge conduits.
 9. A device according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said hoods is provided with an adjustable member so that the height of the hood is adjustable.
 10. A device according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of gas discharge pipes communicating each of the respective hoods with an annular chamber are circumferentially spaced about each of their respective hoods and circumferentially spaced in the space disposed between the first and second members. 